DOST eyes start of COVID-19 mixed vaccine clinical trial by July

FILE PHOTO: Vials labeled “AstraZeneca, Pfizer – Biontech, Johnson&Johnson, Sputnik V coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine” are seen in this illustration picture taken May 2, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is aiming to start the clinical trial on the mixing of different brands of COVID-19 vaccines by next month, an official said Thursday.

DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra said the agency will focus on its application for a clearance from the Food and Drug Administration and getting a clearance from the Ethics Review Board.

She said the trial will involve 3,000 participants aged 18 and above. Five COVID-19 vaccine brands will be used, namely Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Moderna, and Sputnik V.

Twelve experiments will be done during the trial, with 250 participants each.

Participants in the trial will come from priority groups A1 to A4 under the government’s vaccination program. This, Guevarra said, will allay fears that the vaccine supply will be diverted.

“‘Yung gagawan ng study ay sila din yung priority dito sa vaccination program A1 to A4. Hindi mababawasan ‘yung supply kasi sila naman ay kasama sa babakunahan,” she said in a Laging Handa public briefing.

(The study that will be conducted on people under the priority groups of the vaccination program. The vaccine supply will not decrease due to the study because the people who will participate are the ones slated to be vaccinated anyway.)

As of May 31, the Philippines has been able to administer a total of 5.2 million vaccine doses, of which 4 million were first doses while 1.2 million were second doses, according to the Department of Health.

/MUF